Foliar spraying agent

ABSTRACT

A foliar spraying agent which is capable of increasing yield and improving quality of plant is obtained by grinding vegetable humus containing 50 to 80% by weight of water, contacting the resulting ground vegetable humus with air sufficiently to activate the ground product and extracting the activated product with water.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Art

This invention relates to a foliar spraying agent obtained by subjectingvegetable humus to activation treatment. Vegetable humus (or humus soil)referred to herein, is a vegetable fermented material accumulated anddeposited in water at the bottom of a sea, lake, or the like for a longperiod of time.

2. Background of the Art

The inventor of the present application filed a prior patent applicationNo. Sho 55-94563 for an invention relating to a gas adsorbingdeodorizing and sterilizing composition which is obtained by subjectinga vegetable fermented humus to oxidation with air and then drying. Thisapplication was published (as Japanese patent publication Sho 62-1362)and registered (as patent No. 1393474).

Various application fields for this composition are now being developed.Their forms are varied, for example, they can be a powder, an aqueousextracted liquid, granules, etc. depending upon the application field.

This invention relates to an aqueous extract that will be referred toherein as Hyumaselurabin (Trade Mark). The inventor has done researchwork with the object of producing compositions having powerfulsterilizing properties and deodorizing and gas adsorbing properties bythe air treatment of vegetable humus and has filed a Japaneseapplication entitled "a method for activating vegetable humus"; Japanesepatent application Sho 57-144615. The gist of this invention can besummarized as follows. The activation of vegetable humus is a collectiveexpression for the reinforcement of deodorizing action, gas adsorbingproperty and bacteriostatic action, etc. The inventor discovered that inthe activation of vegetable humus, the action of microorganisms,particularly the action of aerobic microorganisms, plays a significantpart together with the oxidation action of the oxygen in air. He foundthat as a condition for treatment, contact with air should be carriedout at a temperature and a humidity at which microorganism reaction iscarried out smoothly by way of microorganism, and it is an importantpoint of activation. Thus, publication of this application was made onAugust 10, Showa 62 (1987) with regard to "a method for activatingvegetable humus" (Japanese patent publication No. Sho 62-37003) whichdefines the condition for activating vegetable humus. This patentpublication explains the meaning of the phrase "grinding vegetable humusand contacting sufficiently with air to effect activation" which isreferred in the present invention.

By the treatments above-mentioned, activated vegetable humus greatlyimproves its own gas adsorbing property, deodorizing power andbacteriostatic action, but at the same time unexpected effectivenesseshas been discovered.

POINT OF PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

During the course of developing application fields for hyumaselurabin(trademark J. 1588035) I found that it improves the water raising of cutflowers and has superior effectiveness for keeping flowers alive and Ifiled an application covering its use as a preserving agent for cutflowers (Japanese patent application Sho 57-14776). Later, while I wasobserving the water raising of cut flowers and cut leaves, I found thatthere are some plants which create roots from cut parts. Further, fromthe effectiveness of recovering vigor observed in the case of flowerarrangements, I gradually paid attention to this physiological effects.While I was working to advance applications for hyumaselurabin in whichthese physiological effects can be utilized, I found that this materialhas superior effectiveness as a foliar spraying agent.

Hyumaselurabin is an aqueous extract obtained by immersing activatedvegetable humus in hot water followed by stirring and filtering. Thismaterial usually shows a pH of 3 or less, and a Brix degree of 0.4 ormore, but as a preserving agent for cut flowers, dilution with water by30 to 50 times the original, is adequate.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

It has been known that plants have the ability of absorbing nutrientsnot only from roots but also from leaves, but the practical use ofsupplying nutrient from leaves in agriculture started about 1940. Theadvantage of foliar spraying over fertilizer application to the soil, isthat it serves the purpose with a relatively small amount of material,and shows quick effectiveness.

The foliar spraying agents which are now practically used are in a statecontaining not only macro nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphoric acid,potassium or the like, but also so-called trace elements. In short,since foliar spraying agents are used with the object of supplyingdeficient elements rapidly, it is necessary to select the deficientelements properly and to apply the foliar spray at the properconcentration depending upon the kind of plant, the stage of growth ofthe plant and the symptoms of deficiency.

I paid attention to the life-extension effectiveness of hyumaselurabinvia improving the water raising of cut-flowers and the effectiveness ofrecovery of plant or tree vigor, and I tried foliar spraying, selectingtea leaves as a test object with the expectation that hyumaselurabin candevelop physiological activity effect to a plant rapidly.

Namely hyumaselurabin to be tested (pH=3.0, Brix degree=0.6) was dilutedwith water and prepared in 500 time, 800 time and 1000 time dilutedsolutions respectively. One week before tea-defoliation, foliarsprayings were conducted with each of the above-mentioned dilutions ofhyumaselurabin. When yields of tea-leaves within a frame of 30 cmsquare, carried out by hand picking, were compared by weighing, it wasfound that the higher the concentration of Hyumaselurabin, the higherthe yield, and increase of yields of the solutions of 1000 timedilution, 800 time dilution and 500 time dilution were magnified 1.17times, 1.34 times and 1.40 times, respectively. At the same time, it wasobserved that the lustre and the color of the leaves improved, thethickness of the leaves increased and the vigor of the stems of leavesalso improved.

It is surprising that such significant differences appeared one weekafter foliar spraying. Considering the relation of dilution andmagnification to yields, there is not a great difference between 500time magnification and 800 time magnification. It is considered that 800time magnification is the most suitable concentration as a foliarspraying agent for tea if injury by concentration is to be considered atthe same time.

Further, foliar sprayings were tried for strawberry, melon, watermelon,cucumber, tomato, seedling of egg plant, spinach, broad bean, Chinesecabbage, Kinusaya (a kind of pea), Miendo (another kind of pea), Kanran(a kind of orchid), omoto (Rhodea japonica), chrysanthemum, young riceplant, tobacco plant, horse radish (in the forest) and Chinese mustard.Dilution was standard at 1000-2000 times for vegetables, because if theconcentration is too high, there may be a danger of chemicals damage.For trees, a slightly more concentrated solution than theabove-mentioned, e.g. 800-1000times was standard.

As for spraying amount, 100-150 liter per 10 ares (0.247 acres), 2 or 3times spraying, at 1 to 3 weeks intervals is standard.

As for the foliar spraying of hyumaselurabin, both an increase of cropand improvement of quality were remarkable, and particularly a repellenteffectiveness to pests such as leaf-plant-infesting acarid (mite). Rootspreading, and the vigor of the leaf-stem become better and theprobability of the appearance of new buds becomes greater. The bearingof flower buds is increased and the color and lustre of flowers areimproved and leaves are thickened. Infestation with acarid become lessand pathogenic fungi are controlled. As a result of the above-mentionedfactors there is brought about an increase of yield and an improvementof quality.

In hyumaselurabin the presence of adequate amounts of minerals such asmanganese, iron, sodium, calcium, magnesium, copper, zinc, molybdenum,etc. and the existence of various kinds of amino acids and vitamins hasbeen confirmed.

The effectiveness of hyumaselurabin as a foliar spraying agent seems tobe the result of the collective effect of these various kinds ofcomponents.

Hyumaselurabin is usually used by itself, but it does not matter evenwhen it is admixed with urea or other foliar spraying fertilizer, oragricultural chemicals depending upon their the need for them.

Best Mode for Reduction of the Invention into Practice EXAMPLE 1

Hyumaselurabin original liquid (pH=3.0, Brix degree =0.6) was diluted500 times, 800 times and 1000 times to prepare diluted solutions andeach diluted solution used for the foliar sprayings of tea leaves. As acontrol, foliar spraying was conducted at the same time with wateralone. The gist of the spraying manner involved, spraying once one weekbefore picking (tea-picking) (June 5, Kagoshima Prefecture). Sprayingswere conducted at the east side of tea field and at the west sidethereof to check the influence of position. One week after spraying,pickings were conducted by hand picking and the weight of tea leavesgathered within a 30 cm frame was weighted and results shown below wereobtained.

    ______________________________________                                        Dilution          weight (gr.)   conversion per                               magnifi- spraying of hand picking                                                                              10 ares                                      cation   position within a 30 cm frame                                                                         yield (kg)                                   ______________________________________                                        control  west      70            630                                          (water   east      80            720                                          alone)                                                                        1000 times                                                                             west      85            765                                                   east      90            810                                          800 times                                                                              west     100            900                                                   east     101            909                                          500 times                                                                              west     105            945                                                   east     105            945                                          ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE 2

To fruit-vegetables, leaf-vegetables, pulse and flowering plants, foliarspraying of hyumaselurabin in aqueous dilute solutions were conducted.The effectiveness of these foliar sprayings are shown below.

    ______________________________________                                                     Dilution                                                                      magnifi-                                                                      cation of                                                                     Hyumase-                                                                      lurabin Effectiveness                                            ______________________________________                                        Fruit strawberry   1,500     vigor of tree was                                vege- melon,       1,000     increased.                                       tables                                                                              water melon            quality was improved.                                  cucumber,    1,000     yield was increased.                                   tomato,                                                                       egg plant                                                               Leaf  spinach      2,000     repelling of foliar                              vege- Chinese cabbage                                                                            2,000     blight attained.                                 tables                                                                              Chinese mustard                                                                            2,000     resistance to disease was                                                     increased.                                                                    quality was improved.                            Beans Broad bean   1,000     vigor of tree was                                      Kinusaya     1,000     improved.                                              Miendo       1,000     yield was increased.                             Flower                                                                              Kanran(orchid)                                                                             1,200     occurrence of infesting                          plants                                                                              Rhodea japonica                                                                            1,000     with acarid becomes                                    chrysanthemum                                                                              1,500     less. color, luster of                                                        flower and leaves were                                                        improved. occurrence of                                                       flower buds becomes                                                           greater.                                         ______________________________________                                    

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for improving the growth of leaves on aplant which consists of spraying on the leaves of the plant an aqueousextract produced by(a) grinding a mass of vegetable fermented materialcontaining 50 to 80% water that has been obtained from deposits thathave been on the bottom of a sea, lake or the like for a long period oftime, (b) contacting the ground product of step (a) with air to therebyactivate the ground product of step (a), (c) contacting the productresulting from step (b) with water with stirring, and (d) filtering theproduct of step (c) and recovering the aqueous extract.
 2. A methodaccording to claim 1 wherein said extract is diluted with water.
 3. Amethod according to claim 1 wherein said extract is diluted with avolume of water that is from 500 to 1000 times greater than the volumeof aqueous extract.
 4. A method according to claim 1 wherein saidaqueous extract has a pH of 3 or less and a Brix of 0.4 or more.